Why Artfire?

May 20, 2011

I've had several people ask me why I sell on Artfire instead of Etsy or other platforms (well, I do have a just-getting-started Etsy store, but focus on Artfire). So I wanted to share some of my favorite things about Artfire...

The price is awesome. If you are just starting up and wanting to "test the waters" of the online selling world... they have a totally free basic studio. I did that for several months. And if you get more serious, their PRO shop is only $9.95. You don't have to pay any additional fees (no commission, listing, etc)-- just $9.95 a month. For those (like me) with more than 100 items in stock at any given time, this price is a steal. AND you don't have to play that crazy, expensive re-listing game just to get to the top of the search ranks.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Artfire is really good for this. They teach you how to write your listings so that you can rank high in search engines. I get tons of people coming to my Shoppe through a Google search for "Evenstars." Plus, Artfire submits your items to Google Shopping and automatically re-submits the items after their run.

Best customer service I've had, hands down. Quick to reply and very helpful.

TOOLS! Ok, I go head over heels for the tools. Most are available only for the Pro studios (the Basic only gives you the bare necessities for selling online). My favorite has got to be the Global Editor, which lets you edit bulk listings.

Customization. The Basic studio only gets a bit of customization-- an avatar and header, just like Etsy and other venues. However, the Pro studio lets you go crazy with colors and HTML coding. I'm still working on it, but I'm going to build some very pretty organization widgets that will make shopping easier. :) You get to be your own seller with your own look.

You don't have to register just to buy. I've only had 2 buyers who were registered with Artfire. I think Artfire is unique in this...

Ok... this is a bit of shameless advertising for Artfire. :P Just because I loves them, precious. And because they have a contest going on right now... so I'm kind of being shamelessly selfish.

(and it also means that I get a free month, so.... if you want to sign up for Artfire's Pro shoppe, please use my referral link! 'Cause we'll both get free months!!!)

Oh, and if you want to sign up for Artfire's daily collection email, you can have a chance at winning a $100 gift card to an Artfire seller of your choice (pick me! pick me!). (They do send out an email every day, though, so if you don't like a cluttered inbox...)

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